Belmont University’s bachelor’s degree program in Audio Engineering Technology has been accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET, Inc.), the recognized accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology. ABET accreditation demonstrates a program’s commitment to providing its students with a quality education.
This is the first program focused specifically on audio engineering to be fully accredited under ABET standards, marking a significant accomplishment for the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business (CEMB) and Belmont University as well as the audio profession.
“Most importantly,” said CEMB Dean Wesley Bulla, “this is a significant achievement for our students as accreditation ensures that our program is dedicated to the quality standards set by our constituents and demonstrates our continuing commitment to building a preeminent Audio Engineering Technology program that will open doors for our students whether they are going into the profession or on to graduate school.”
Accreditation is a voluntary, peer-review process that requires programs to undergo comprehensive, periodic evaluations. The evaluations—conducted by teams of volunteer professionals working in industry, government, academe and private practice within the ABET disciplines—focus on program curricula, faculty, facilities, institutional support and other important areas.
One of the key elements of ABET accreditation is the requirement that programs continuously improve the quality of education provided. As part of this continuous improvement requirement, programs set specific, measurable goals for their students and graduates, assess their success at reaching those goals and improve their programs based on the results of their assessment.
In addition to providing colleges and universities a structured mechanism to assess, evaluate and improve their programs, accreditation also helps students and their parents choose quality college programs, enables employers and graduate schools to recruit graduates they know are well-prepared and is used by registration, licensure and certification boards to screen applicants.
About ABET
ABET is a not-for-profit organization, owned and operated by its more than 25 professional and technical member societies. An internationally respected organization with some 1,500 volunteers, ABET has set the higher-educational standards in its fields for nearly 75 years. More information about ABET, its member societies, and the evaluation criteria used to accredit programs can be found at www.abet.org.
